Product Extraordinaire: Ginger Spread

At the cheese shop where I work, we sell lots of gourmet products. While everyone else takes home boatloads of cheese, my lactose intolerance leads me to bring home loads of burnt fig jam, graham crackers, and membrillo.

While I've enjoyed my fair share of these and other impulse buys, Ginger People brand ginger spread has been the best investment, since it has lasted awhile and I keep finding new ways to incorporate it into my cooking.

First of all, it's not a jam. Putting this on a PB&J would lead to more sinus-clearing than you're normally used to from Welch's, so I wouldn't recommend doing that. But this lovely product is perfect for the pantry, because if you're like me, you never have fresh ginger around when you need it. Ginger spread solves the problem, as it comes in a BIG jar, you only use teaspoons at a time, and it lasts forever - but not in a "loaded with preservatives" kind of way, since its only ingredients are ginger & cane sugar. The spread is thick and slightly sweet, with a grainy texture that reminds you of its natural-ocity. It's perfect for incorporating into dressings or marinades, jazzing up some stir fry, making some zingy scones, or whisking with some yogurt & rice vinegar to make a dressing for your makeshift Quinoa Waldorf salad (inspired by this gem from Epicurious).

But the possibilities are endless: ginger cupcake frosting, ginger burgers, ginger applesauce, ginger-tinis....mmm.

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Ginger